


What Awaits Beyond Friendship

by Embutido



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, I promise they will hold hands a lot, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, i just want to write something cute, non-idol setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:34:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28700748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Embutido/pseuds/Embutido
Summary: Being friends since childhood, Riku and Touma harbor strong feelings for each other. What are these feelings, though? Is it just a deep friendship? Is it love? How do you tell them apart? The answer seems apparent for everyone, but them.Realizing you're in love isn't easy either. What if it is unrequited? Will Riku confess his love, risking years of friendship? He wishes he knew how Touma feels...
Relationships: Inumaru Touma/Nanase Riku
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	1. Usual Day

It's 1:00pm. The scorching summer sun sets ablaze everything on its way, yet its strength is not enough to bypass the leafy trees. The casted shadows are enough protection from the heat and, together with the wind, they offer a comfortable temperature for outdoor activities. The borders of the campus are especially fresh, a quality that gets enhanced once the classes end and the students leave the hot rooms that have been warming up like a stove. The dense air is suffocating, therefore going for a stroll in the university's grounds is a good idea to relax. The day is so beautiful! If Riku didn't have things to do, he'd take a nap under a tree. Iori, who's serving him company, would opt for reading a book in one of the benches as he waits for his next class. Nonetheless, they both decide to walk around as they talk, killing time. Riku doesn't intent to spend too much time with his friend, though. Because he's actually waiting for someone else, Iori is a temporary distraction to not get bored in the meantime. Holding conversations with him is so fun! The boy is smart and you can always learn one new thing or two by listening to him. The only downside is his seemingly cold attitude. He and Riku argue a lot, but it doesn't take long for them to make amends. 

"Nanase-san, are you free this afternoon? I want to make progress on the evolution homework. We still have a lot to do."

"I'm sorry, Iori," Riku sighs, shaking his head, "I already made plans for today. Maybe tomorrow?"

The redhead stretches. Ah! Fresh air feels so good! Every inch of his body feels revitalized just by inhaling the scent of the grass mixed in the wind. Did this always feel this great? Nah, it's just his mind being more optimistic than usual. Today is a special day and his mood is boosted by default. As a result, everything looks better, even small details. He takes a peek at his watch: it's been five minutes. Nice! The person he's waiting should be arriving soon. He's confident in this statement because that particular someone has never let him down, and they're very responsible when it comes to pick him up. Every day, since he started to go to university, they've been meeting in this same spot at the same hour. It's a routine Riku deeply enjoys, something he looks forward to do as soon as he gets out of bed. 

A childish smile appears on Riku's face as the sound of a motorcycle enters the scene. It approaches the pair, the smell of gasoline infecting the air no long after. The driver stops in front of them, surprising Iori. Does this person want something? Maybe he's too judgemental, but his defensive instincts tingle by seeing how this stranger is dressed. Is he a punk? He surely looks like one. The leather jacket and the metal accessories, together with the preference for black, tells him that this person has a preference for rudeness (although he being right about it is an entirely different matter) The suspect, who is approaching the pair, is wearing a helmet that doesn't give a hint of what expression this person is making right now. 

"Touma, I was waiting for you!" Riku happily exclaims, stepping forwards.

"Sorry about the waiting, I got into a traffic jam."

Turns out Iori is completely wrong about the stranger. Although the voice has a punk-ish tone to it, the way it speaks to Riku is gentle, almost apologetic. The driver takes out his helmet, revealing his face. Wow! He indeed looks like a rude boy, the sort to solve everything by violence. However, he engages in conversation with Riku so naturally it's almost funny: they look so different from each other! Even their speech pattern differs: while Riku chooses more formal words, this guy prefers the usage of slangs. The contrast between a boy that sweet and this scary-looking Touma has Iori dumbfounded. Where did Riku find someone like this? 

Iori feels shivers when Touma's gaze finally focus on the third wheel. His eyes are so menacing!

"Who's this?"

"He's my friend Iori." Riku answers.

"Oh, I see." A grin takes place. "Iori, I'm taking Riku for a ride, does it bother you?"

The words hold no animosity. Touma is being genuinely amicable, the happy tone of his voice confirming that, in fact, he's a good person and Iori judged him wrong. Looks can surely be deceiving! 

Touma puts the helmet on Riku, the later staying in place as it's correctly adjusted. Riku can do this on his own, yet both of them prefer it this way. Riku likes to be spoiled like this, and his friend enjoys showing affection with these small actions. It's a win-win situation, but never ask Touma why he does it! He cares a lot about the person in front of him right now, but conveying those emotions in words would be too embarrassing!

The pair gets on the motorcycle as they say goodbye. As always, Riku's arms tightly surround his friend, bringing a sense of safety. The truth is, he's never been afraid of these vehicles despite knowing the risks. Some years ago, before going to university, he insisted Touma that he should let him ride on the passenger seat, but the answers was always 'no'. The reason behind the negative was never explained, and it always seemed weird to him because his friend was very reckless when it came to those sort of things. As stated before, Touma is not specially honest, and the reason for refusing was fear of getting Riku into a traffic accident. When it came to his own well-being, he didn't care much. In fact, in highschool he was always picking fights with boys bigger than him, something that didn't go well. But when it came to Riku... Oh god, when it came to Riku he was such a worrywart! He would definitely receive a bullet for him!

"Did you have fun today?" Touma asks as he drives.

"They gave us a lot of homework, but Iori is going to help me!"

He proceeds to explain a lot of stuff about evolution that's alien to Touma: how natural selection works and how we are all related to a common ancestor. He gets excited enough to get deep into genetics, leaving his friend confused.

Ah! Riku loves this. Being able to rest his head on Touma's back as he talks about his day, the cool air refreshing their bodies. Observing the ocean as the cars pass by has become a hobby of his. The pretty color of the water and the movement of the waves is always so enchanting. The relaxing sound of the sea and the warmth of his friend's body invite him to sleep, yet he can't do that right now! The trip is just ten minutes, but he enjoys every bit of that time.

They arrive at the housing complex. It's a modest, but pretty neighborhood covered in flowers. Kids always seem to be playing soccer in the field on the front, so Touma is very cautious about where to park the motorcycle.

Riku's apartment is on the second floor. They see the door opening as a known figure approaches the balcony.

"Oh, so you're here already. You took a while."

The white haired boy with angelic features has a displeased face. He is wearing an apron as he holds a wooden spoon, indicating that he was cooking. The pair hurries up and gets into the house before they get scolded. Tenn absolutely hates waiting for lunch.

This is part of the routine too. In exchange for safely bringing Riku to home everyday, Touma gets to lunch with the Nanases. It's been like this for three years now.

As soon as they set foot on the interior, the smell of curry welcomes them. It's not rare for Tenn to cook this particular dish, but today he made sure to put more effort into it. He even shaped the rice into balls, something he never does unless his brother Riku directly asks for it.

The younger Nanase desperately digs in, tasting the fluffy rice as it gets mixed with the salted vegetables. It's wonderful! He can't believe how good of a chef Tenn has become. In the other hand, Touma doesn't bring himself to get a bite. He keeps staring at the chopsticks as the piece of chicken oozes with sauce. No matter how much time passes, he can't get used to the gastronomy of this house: everything they eat it's so incredibly sweet, even the curry! He can't ask the chef to change the recipe because he dotes on Riku, who loves his food as sweet as possible.

"Do you have a problem with my food?" Tenn asks him in a calm tone that's somehow eerie.

Touma shakes his head and finally decides to take a bite. It's... good? The excessive sweetness of the sauce is nowhere to be seen, honey being added in the right quantity for it to be enjoyable. Man, it's incredible! This food is delicious! Now he's as desperate as Riku to finish his dish.

"Since today is your birthday, I decided to do your portion to your liking." Tenn continues, giggling. Then his expression gets all serious, "But don't get used to it, I won't cook extra for you everyday. It's bothersome."

What a complicated person. Since Touma and Riku became friends, Tenn has always been pretty cold towards the former. Well, it's not like the older brother is amiable to anyone that's not Riku, but it's especially obvious when it comes to Touma, as if there was some sort of resentment.

Riku tries to say something, but his mouth is full of food. After getting scolded by Tenn, he swallows and speaks properly.

"Will you come tonight, Touma? Tenn-nii prepared a cake for you! He said he made sure to not make it too sweet just for you!"

"I'll convince Tora to let me go earlier. I'm going to be here, don't worry"

"Yay!"

That reply makes Riku visibly happy. He's been waiting for Touma's birthday party for a while. Every year they celebrate together once the day arrives, and today it's not going to be the exception. He even bought a present!

The younger Nanase stands up and heads to the bathroom, leaving the two guys alone. Tenn still hasn't finished his meal. Touma, in the other hand, is already done with his. He tries to check the time on his watch, but upon inspecting his wrist he remembers that he doesn't have it anymore.

"Where is your watch?" Tenn raises an eyebrow as the question lands.

"Riku broke it." Touma sighs.

The pretty black watch he always wore met its end once he lent it to Riku, who curiously asked for it. He didn't adjusted it correctly, and once they started driving... well, it ended in the highway. Riku apologized profusely, although Touma didn't really get angry.

"You know, I told him to be careful and I was ready to scold him," he tells Tenn, "but it's just impossible to get mad at him. It's like kicking a puppy."

"Right?" Tenn nods, bitting the last pieces of his meal.

Despite not getting along, they always came to the same agreement: it's impossible to get angry when it comes to Riku.

"I still don't get why are you friends with Riku," Tenn continues, averting his gaze, "but I'm glad that you are."

Ah! He's clearly flustered as he says that! In the inside, Tenn has developed affection for him. It's only natural: they've known each other for years and he appreciates how he takes care of his little brother. Touma wants him to repeat the confession, but Riku just got out of the bathroom.

"You better come to your birthday party tonight," Tenn changes the subject, "this kid has been waiting for it all week."

Now is Riku the one that's nervous. He seems more eager to celebrate the birthday party than Touma.

Trying to flush the topic, Riku grabs his friend's arm and drags him to his room. Tenn complains because it's his turn to do the dishes, but the redhead promises to do it when the guest is gone.

Now, Nanase's house is usually very welcoming. The older brother always makes sure to have everything in perfect order, no trace of dust on any surface. Even the floor reflects like a mirror, boasting the brightness that only a mop can grant. However, Riku's room was forbidden territory. Tenn and his obsession for tidiness had the entrance prohibited, and that was for the worst. The redhead couldn't be more different in that aspect, owning what could be the messiest bedroom Touma had the privilege to see. The latter has grown used to the scenery, and every time the door opens to show the cluster of dirty clothes and accumulated dust, he just sighs and helps Riku with the cleaning.

"I'm sorry!" Riku apologizes as he changes the sheets, a nervous laugh on his face. "Since I started university, I barely have time to clean."

He sneezes. His nose has become all red due to dust allergy.

"If you don't have time, you could ask your brother for help." Touma suggest, picking up the dirty clothes.

"No way!" He pouts. "Tenn-nii would move things from their place without asking me!"

Fair. Touma wonders if his friend has stuff that he doesn't want the older twin to see. When they lived with their parents, they used to share a room. It's pretty clear who was the one that kept it neat. At the beginning, Riku wouldn't let Touma enter the messy bedroom, but as time passed, the shame of showing such disarray gradually disappeared. Now the latter found himself picking up his used briefs.

Riku didn't invite Touma to clean the mess, though. After they're done, the redhead turns on the TV and picks up the DVD that quietly awaits on the night table. It's their usual activity after lunch: before Touma goes to work, they watch an episode of their favorite series together. The show is called _Samurai on Road_ and the cover displays a punk riding a motorbike as he holds a katana. The popular franchise is already on their 5th season, a substantial achievement for a product of its kind. As they play the video, the pair gets to see the hero slicing his opponents with his signature weapon as he drives on the highway, an action sequence that draws excitement on their faces. The Samurai Biker is so cool!

They sit on the carpet floor, close to each other. Their eyes are fixed on the flashing screen. It's so nice to have someone to share your love for your favorite superhero!

Riku's gaze deviates for a moment. Now he's focusing his friend, who hasn't noticed. He inspects every inch from Touma, scanning from the leather jacket to the haircut. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but...

"Hey, Touma. Have I told you that you look an awful lot like the samurai?"

Touma is on alert. The comparison makes him uncomfortable, but he's fully aware of the similarities. After all...

"You both have a preference for black and ride a motorcycle. And you look spooky despite being so nice!"

Riku smiles, but Touma's face is all red. He hopes Riku hasn't noticed that this isn't a coincidence. In fact, Touma deliberately picked his looks based on his childhood superhero. If anyone noticed I'd be the dead of him!

"S-say, Riku." Touma averts his eyes, stuttering. "Do you... do you like how he looks? Like, he's cool, right?"

"Of course he is! Just like you!"

"D-don't call me cool, you idiot!"

He's dying. He's seriously dying! Normally he'd get angry because none of his friends would call him 'cool' unironically, but Riku... Riku is definitely being honest! Being praised like this is too embarrassing! No matter how hard he hides his face, he can't escape the power of nice words. How should he reply? Should he call Riku cool too? No! That would be too much to bear. Having such a nice guy as a friend is such a curse!

Riku laughs because he's used to that reaction. Whenever he compliments Touma, the latter gets all flustered. He pats his friend on the back as he continues.

"You know, I've always wanted to ride a motorcycle like the Samurai and drive far, far away!"

"How far away?"

Riku ponders. He didn't expect that question. In fact, he didn't really think about it.

"I don't know," he replies, "where do you want to go?"

"W-why are you asking me? Isn't it your dream?"

"Travelling alone is no fun!" He pouts. "That's why you're coming with me! Say, do you think I should get a motorcycle and wear all black like the samurai? I bet I will look as cool at you!"

Touma feels somehow humiliated. He feels so embarrassed admitting that he's copying the Samurai, yet Riku publicly states his desire to do so!

"I don't think that would fit you..." Touma answers without thinking in the implications.

"Why not?" A sad expression is drawn on the redhead's face.

"Because... ugh."

Touma doesn't make eye contact. Damn, he said more than he should and correcting himself is not an option! Maybe... maybe he should be honest this time. If he doesn't say something, Riku's sad face will persist! Ah! There's no other option! Reuniting all his courage, he gets to mumble something.

"Because you're too cute to look like a bad boy."

Riku can feel how his cheeks acquire color, every cell on his face boiling. Did he hear correctly? He'd been called cute multiple times by Tenn, but hearing it from his best friend...

"T-Touma! Please don't laugh at me, I'm being serious!"

"I'm not laughing at you, I'm being serious! You were the one who asked so don't get angry at me for saying something embarrassing!"

Now who is more nervous?

Riku hugs his legs to bury his face on his knees. So those were Touma true thoughts, huh? Being called cute by him surely feels nice. The weird sensation on his chest amplifies, and he can hear his heart pounding as if it were to explode. Touma just observes, wondering if he said something wrong.

"T-then I'm calling you cute too!" Riku exclaims in resentment, using the same weapon that was used on him.

"How the heck am I cute?" Touma scratches his head in confusion. "I'm not exactly a nice guy."

"No, you are! When we were on highschool you always protected me from bullies!"

"Yes, but I did that by getting into fist fights with them! And it's not like people molested you, it only happened twice!"

The fist instance where it happened was in P.E class, where a boy accidentally sent the ball flying towards Riku's face. That wasn't exactly bullying, but Touma got so angry the poor kid ended up crying. Everyone ended up apologizing, so you could say it was a happy ending.

The second instance wasn't a happy ending, though. A classmate dared to call Riku the F word in front of Touma, and the latter demanded him to apologize. Nevertheless, the guy refused and as a result, he received a punch on the face. Touma got expelled from school after that but, more importantly, Riku got furious about it. Resorting to violence was a no in his book, therefore his friend acting that way greatly disappointed him. When the younger twin told Tenn the whole story seeking help, the latter replied "If I were Inumaru, I would punch that kid on the face too." Luckily, Touma promised Riku to not resort to violence anymore, so they ended up in good terms.

Touma might not be cute nor a nice guy, but he'd do anything to protect Riku, an actual good person. After all, he's deeply indebted to his friend.

It's time to leave. The twins say goodbye to their guest and, after closing the entrance door, they finally have time to talk about the plans for the night.

* * *

The garage won't stop smelling like oil, no matter how much the ventilation is turned on. Touma doesn't mind: fixing motorcycles since he's 16 years old has taught him how to grow immune to the odour. The only thing that worries him is getting his clothes dirty or, even worse, to stink of gasoline even after taking a shower. Other than that, he enjoys the job: it pays well enough for a comfortable solo life, and his boss is very lenient despite being an asshole sometimes. As he checks the A/C condenser of the old car, he hums a song. He doesn't take long to find the issue.

"How is it going?" Torao ask, resting his hand on Touma's shoulder.

"I found a leak of refrigerant. The condenser is clogged."

"I see, I see. Working hard on your birthday, aren't you?"

"It's because you didn't want to gift me a free day!"

Torao laughs. If it were for him, he would give his friend the free day he so desired, but the family business doesn't allow it. Just hiring Touma was a risky move that didn't convince his father, and a lot of work had to be done in order to gain his acceptance. Why would you pick this young lad over a professional, anyway? He doesn't look different from any other punk, and paying him to perform seems like a waste of money. Luckily, this opinion changed after probation period ended since the results were surprisingly positive. Touma was very skilled in mechanics despite not having any theoretical formation. Heck, he didn't even finish school! He learnt everything on his own by watching videos and trying to fix his motorcycle himself. Sometimes he even tried to read books about it, although falling asleep while trying to do so was a common thing. He didn't understand how Riku was so fond of reading. Maybe if he had a little more love for it he could continue his studies, but that wasn't a priority right now.

"Wanna go drink after work?" Torao asks.

"I already made plans with a friend."

"Oh? Is that the Riku guy you always talk about? You should introduce him to me someday."

"No way! You'll probably use him to bully me further, won't you?"

Torao laughs again, patting Touma's back. He was caught. It couldn't be helped: Touma's lack of honesty was always so entertaining to make fun of! What kind of face would he make if the Riku guy knew that he's always talking about him? Definitely an spectacle to pay for!

On a serious note, it's not exaggeration that Touma talks way too much about his friend. This fixation is beyond comprehension, and Torao feels bad for any girl attempting to date such person, it's basically telling them to compete versus Riku! In fact, at this point Torao thinks of Riku as an acquaintance despite never meeting him.

It's not like Touma has never dated, though. He was quite popular around girls some years ago, but nothing serious came out of it. Every time he started a new relationship, his interest faded pretty quickly. He didn't have as much fun as he thought he'd had, and investing time in another person seemed like a chore. Maybe he was just forcing himself into it because that was what seemed normal for his age. Sex was great and everything, but there were things he appreciated more. In the end, he stopped dating altogether, thinking that love is not something that you should search for. This philosophy is totally opposite to Torao's, who would indiscriminately jump from girl to girl.

The sound of water interrupts the conversation, and no long passes until they realize it's raining outside. Touma curses: he's going to get all wet and, considering sun already set, the driving conditions won't be the best. Since his house is on the way, Torao suggest to take him home and leave the motorcycle in the workshop for the night. The offer is, however, refused.

"I have to attend my birthday party, y'know?" Touma smiles, "Riku has been waiting for it."

Ah! There is he again. It's not healthy to think in one person 24/7!

Torao sighs. He tells his friend to take care as he leaves the workshop.

* * *

It's very dark, no trace of the moon in the sky. The water pours, mixing the traffic lights as it showers the busy streets. Touma searches for the watch on his wrist, forgetting once again that it's not there anymore. Damn, what time is it? Maybe if he takes out his phone... No! That's very dangerous! What if a policeman sees him? Judging by the amount of vehicles, it might be past 10pm. This is no good! If he doesn't hurry, the Nanase twins are going to be very angry. A honk freezes him on his spot. He was so distracted thinking in the time that he almost skipped the red light. That was a close call: getting into an accident was the last thing he wanted to do today.

Suddenly, the weather hear his pleads and the rain stops. It's already too late for his clothes which got all wet, but at least he can clearly see the road now. Even people seem to be collaborating, as the streets get emptier the more he approaches his destination. The flickering lights of the neighborhood welcome him not so long after, and Touma is finally able to get down of the motorcycle. He exhales, totally exhausted. The time on his smartphone marks 10:30 pm. Man, should he call Riku? Taking a quick peek at the second floor, his eyes rest on the closed door of the apartment. Is anyone awake? Maybe he should go back home...

Screw it, he's calling! His fingers press the buttons on the white screen until the marking sound breaks the silence. He hopes Riku picks up the phone quickly, as it's freezing outside. Steam leaves his mouth as he breathes. Hmmm... isn't Riku taking too long to answer? Maybe he's on the bathroom or something. Calling a second time leads to the same result, a recording telling him to leave his message.

Touma gives up with the call and decides to go to the second floor regardless. He didn't come all the way here for naught, but more importantly, he's soaked wet! Standing in the middle of the night like this is wanting to get a cold, and asking for a towel shouldn't be a problem. If his friend is angry, apologizing should solve it. He's sure Riku will understand.

Knocking the door of the apartment, he yet awaits for an answer. It is, however, to no avail. Perhaps the Nanase twins are not home, a theory supported by the lack of light leaking through the door frame. But isn't that weird? Tenn works until late at night, therefore it's not unusual for him to be outside at this hour. However, Riku is different. He's not the sort of person that would wander the streets when it's pitch black. On top of that, it's strangely quiet. Just the chirping of the insects decorate the atmosphere, as if he was the only one in the building.

Touma tries calling a third time. Ah! There is the sound of Riku's ringtone at the other side of the door. This proves that he is definitely home, yet picking the phone is taking him awfully long. This definitely not right. Is he being ignored? No way! Riku might be childish, but he would never leave his friend standing outside in a cold night.

"Hey, Riku! Is everything ok?" He ask through the door, knocking once more.

And once again, no voice replies. Just the sound of the smartphone serves him as company. There's no doubt: something is wrong. He wants to enter and check whats going on, but how can he do so? The door is locked... or isn't it? He places his hand on the doorknob just to check and, to his surprise, it's open.

"I'm going in!" Touma informs as he steps inside.

It's pitch back. His eyes can only see what the beam of light from the entrance illuminates. His nose catches something: it stinks, as if the trash hasn't been taken out in a while. As he covers his face with his hand he wonders if it smelled this bad when he came in the morning. Seriously, he wants to puke. His fingers blindly wander the wall searching for the switch, his memory working so he can point out where it was. He talks again once his eyes can finally see.

"Riku, are you home?"

His voice echoes. The only reply is the sound of flies invading the kitchen. Taking a quick gaze, he notices that Riku's shoes are on the rack, therefore he should be home. Nonetheless, all the lights are off and it's impossible to see anything at the end of the small hallway. He makes it to the dinning room, and searching the switch once again, he manages to turn on the light bulb. There he is! A sleeping Riku rests on the table, his arms serving as a pillow. So cute! Did he get tired while waiting for his friend? Touma sighs as his worries disappear.

"Hey, Riku," Touma gently shakes his friend's shoulder, "wake up, you're going to catch a cold sleeping here."

He gets shivers just by looking how undressed Riku is, which is not good considering how chilly the room is. In fact, his skin has already lost all of its warmth. Perhaps he should carry him to bed, but something is not quite right and impedes him to do so. Isn't Riku very strange looking right now? Not only his meager dressing and his messy hair show traces of neglect, but he's also showing traces of weight loss. More importantly: he's not responding at all. His eyes remain shut and his breathing... is he even breathing?

Touma is frightened. His whole body trembles as he calls Riku's name louder, and the anxiety builds up every time he gets no response. He ends up shaking him like a doll, doing what he can to wake up his friend from what seems like an endless slumber. Nevertheless, no long passes until he realizes that between his hands is nothing but a lifeless body, no traces of pulse or breathing indicating that the person is still there. Riku is simply dead.


	2. Birthday Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please, don't let anything bad happen to Riku.

#  Birthday Party 

How long has he been hugging Riku? It feels like an eternity, but in reality only a couple of seconds has passed, as if time extended just to make his agony longer. His chest hurts, and his throat aches the more the weeping goes on. He can't see, tears completely covering his eyes; but even if he could he wouldn't: the scene is too painful for him to bear. His body forgot how to move, still trying to hold what left of Riku. The feeling of impotence consumes him, why didn't he notice sooner? Since when was his friend planning this? He doesn't understand. He doesn't understand at all! Why wouldn't Riku seek his help? They've always trusted each other.

The dining room has never been this gloomy. The pills scattered around the table tell a harsh story Touma refuses to believe. He tries to fool himself, making up explanations for the bottles of medicine lying on the floor. There's no way Riku would do _that_ , so this was a mere accident! No matter how you look at things, his best friend was always so radiant and full of energy. A development like this is out of the question, and anyone would think that something is amiss. However, the more Touma looks at the scenery, the harder it becomes to forge a story. Firstly, Riku is not stupid to accidentally overdose himself, nor the effects of sleeping medicine are unknown to him. And even if there was a convincing theory for what happened, does it matter? Accepting the truth won't bring his friend back, neither will lying to himself.

Riku is gone and the cold corpse is the only thing left. There's no note explaining the reasons, and there were no signs foreshadowing this event. That's just unfair, how is Touma supposed to soothe his heart when there are no parting words?

Then, he hears it: a dumbfounded voice calling his name. It's faint, barely capable of expelling clear words.

Between his arms, the small frame begins to move, as if his imagination was playing him tricks. However, it wasn't a trick nor it was his imagination. He can't see very well what's going on as his eyes are completely covered by tears, but his ears are enough to receive the message.

"Are you ok, Touma?"

The voice sounds worried, almost sad. It's concerned about Touma's pitiful state.

Riku doesn't understand what's going on. He woke up to feel himself being hugged by his best friend. He can't see Touma's face, but judging by the sobbing sounds he realizes he's crying.

Touma's hands shake as he holds his friend by the shoulders. Is this real? This definitely feels real. He has a chance to speak to Riku again, to save him! But more importantly, he has to act fast to avoid the outcome he just saw. He doesn't know how much time has passed since the redhead ingested all those pills, and the idea of it being already too late greatly scares him. Just like a miracle, Riku came back, losing him again would be devastating.

"Riku! Please don't move, I'm calling an ambulance!"

As he says that, he quickly grabs his phone. Riku just observes, worried as the trembling fingers fail to unlock the screen. What has gotten into Touma?

"Why are you calling an ambulance?" He shyly asks as he rubs his eyes. A yawn proceeds. He just woke up from the nap and finds himself drowsy.

"Because you did something terrible!"

"B-but I was just taking a nap." He pouts. "You were taking awfully long so I was killing time!"

Touma is angry because his friend doesn't seem to understand the severity of the matter. The reaction to being awoken is almost out of this world, as if trying to end a life was an ordinary everyday activity. More importantly, Riku's gestures are of total confusion, as if he didn't really know what was going on. Maybe Touma should shove into his face the empty bottles to emphasize what dreadful thing he just did.

At this point, a strange realization hits Touma. The evidence of the sleeping drugs is nowhere to be seen, as if the bottles simply vanished into thin air. No, that's not it: it's more like they never existed in the first place, and his eyes widely open out of astonishment when he observes the new scenario around him. The table that seconds ago held the recipe for death is now decorated with a cute pink tablecloth, protecting it from the finger food that is distributed on several plastic dishes. Glasses for three people declare that a party is about to start, just as it was intended. The gloomy dining room is not gloomy anymore as the birthday decorations hanging on the walls liven up the atmosphere. What's going on? It is as if someone threw him into another place in the brief seconds he held Riku. Even the air is nice, devoid of the stench he smelled back then when he set foot into the house. His eyes now focus on his friend, still not believing what's going on. The signs of neglect aren't present, his cute face being as bright as always. His clothes are different too, and this time the redhead was properly dressed for the low temperature.

Touma falls on his knees. The horror movie scene he experienced moments ago felt too real. There's no way everything was a product of his imagination.

"Hey Riku, can you pinch me?" He requests, his voice lacking any emotion as he's still incapable of processing everything.

And so Riku obeys, grabbing Touma's cheek. It soon acquires a red color, but no matter how hard he pinches, Touma doesn't seem to wake up from the dream. At this point, he wonders: is Riku dead? Is Riku alive? Which one is the truth?

"Are you truly here, Riku?" He mutters.

"I am."

Touma exhales. He might not understand what was going on, but he's grateful for being able to talk to Riku again. It is as if he was granted a second chance.

The sound of the door opening interrupts. The soaked figure of Tenn enters the scene as he removes his jacket. It's pouring outside, and the white-haired boy asks for a towel. Riku gleefully lends him one and, since he's on it, he gives Touma one too.

This intromission is unexpected, and both Touma and Riku are caught in a suspicious activity. Why did Tenn arrive this early? Since he works at a bar, no arrival was programmed until midnight. As he dries his hair, he explains that his co-workers are covering for him. 

"Why is Inumaru on the floor?"

The pair gets flustered. The whole situation is too weird to even attempt an explanation, and lying about it is not helping their cause.

"I-I was apologizing to Riku!" Touma raised his voice, his nervousness clear.

"You didn't apologize, though..." Riku complained.

"I was going to apologize, but Tenn came!"

The older brother's face says it all: he doesn't believe a word. Now he's angry because his guest thinks he can fool him with such lame lie. Maybe this interruption was what the boys needed to break the tense atmosphere.

* * *

The party goes on as planned, filling the dining room with laugher. Although Tenn and Riku already forgot the incident, Touma finds himself pensive about it. Even after drinking a glass of beer, he can't shove the unpleasant scene out of his mind. He talks to forget, yet the idea of Riku's death always comes back to haunt him. He's so obviously distracted tonight, he even begins to sing happy birthday along when the twins bring the cake, making himself a laughingstock! But that's ok, this little accident is enough for him to relax a little bit.

"What did you wish for?" Riku asks, sitting at his side.

"If I tell you it won't become true!"

That's a masterfully avoided question, but in reality Touma didn't think of anything. He totally forgot to wish something! Maybe... Maybe it will count too if he makes his wish now, even if he already blew out the candles.

"Please, don't let anything bad happen to Riku." He pleads on his mind.

And so, the party continues. As suspected by Touma, the cake is incredibly sweet, so much that his stomach feels sick. Nevertheless, it's Tenn's present, and to not be ungrateful he feigns a smile whenever he gets a taste. On the other hand, the joy can be seen on the twins' faces when they get to dig in. Once again, don't they get sick by eating this much sugar?

Riku stands up and leaves the room for a moment as Touma and Tenn continue the chatting. When he comes back, the eyes land on him as he shyly approaches the guest. What is he up too? He's so nervous!

"H-Happy birthday, Touma!" He raises his voice, handing over a small box enveloped in a lovely red paper.

This catches Touma off-guard. Although they've been friends for years, gifts weren't a usual thing between them, not even on birthdays. The act of receiving something from his precious friend fills his chest with a strange sensation, an indescribable happiness that makes his heart jump. His hands hastily break the paper that covers the box and, upon opening, he gets to see the present: a black watch of delicate details. The slim band of leather is relatively short, adding a touch of finesse. It's so classy! Touma loves the design despite it being completely different from what he's used to wear. Although... isn't it too small? Will it really fit him?

It's shown all over Riku's face: he stills feels guilty about breaking his friend's former watch. When Touma's bright smile thanks him for the gift, he finally can forgive himself and move on. He's honestly glad, he was scared of his present being rejected! Although that was never a possibility, there's no way Touma wouldn't like a gift from Riku!

Tenn observes the watch carefully. Usually, he would be jealous of his brother being this close to someone else, but this time his attention is wandering on other matters. Something about the present doesn't feel right, but he can't quite point out what.

"Wait a second..." he interrupts when the realization comes to his mind. "Isn't that a female model?"

He's not mistaken. On his effort to buy the best gift possible, Riku acquired the watch that he thought was the prettiest. Nevertheless, men's watches are usually big and rough; devoid of the grace that small, more simplistic female's watches have. The seller didn't say anything either, thinking that the young lad was buying a present for a girlfriend. In the end, all his hard work was for nothing because this mistake made everything worse! Now Riku is really, _really_ sorry.

"I'm so sorry!" He bows repeatedly. "P-please give me the watch, I'm going to change it!"

But Touma insists on keeping it, stating that it's not a problem. This gift was bought with him in mind, so there's no way Touma is returning it! The truth is, he already got too attached to the present. This is the new token of their friendship and there's no way he'd let it go!

"Oh? So, you're wearing the watch, right?" Tenn asks, his intimidating aura makes clear that a negative answer is not accepted. He has to be absolutely sure that Touma deserves his little brother's love. "Riku put a lot of effort into this gift, you know?"

"Are you wearing it, Touma?" Riku asks too, his expression becoming sad. A negative answer would be too much for his heart to bear. "If you don't, I'll understand. It's a girl's watch, after all..."

Damn, he's cornered! Touma is actually doubting whether to wear it. It's not only a girl's watch, but the contrast between it and his looks is considerable. But don't get things wrong! He didn't plan to toss the present aside. His initial plan was to carry it on his pocket to have a little bit of Riku whenever he went. But he can't do that now! If he did, Riku's heart would be broken! He needs to make him smile again, quickly!

"O-of course I'm wearing it!" Touma replies, adjusting the watchband to his wrist. Surprisingly, it's not too tight. "See? It's here."

Riku's face changes immediately, his eyes shining. His friend really liked the gift!

On a second thought, wearing a girl's watch might not be that bad if it makes Riku happy...

The party continues for half an hour. Tenn decides to join Touma into drinking, always keeping the moderation. Riku, in the other hand, stays sober the whole night. Not only he's bad with alcohol, but the guys have him banned from consuming it. His tolerance is way too low and they fear him passing out like last time. However, this doesn't prevent him from having fun. The childhood talk they have as they play a game in the console is enough entertainment for him. He wishes every day could be like this one! Nevertheless, all birthday parties have an end.

Touma is beaten, all his body feels tired after this long, but enjoyable day. He checks the hour in his new watch: it's past midnight. Maybe it's time to go already. He stands up to announce he's going home, but as soon as he speaks, something unexpected happens.

"Wait, don't go!" Riku raises his voice, holding him by the arm.

It's a really sudden and rough action that takes everyone by surprise, including Riku. The cheerfulness of his voice is gone, sorrow taking place. His face shows distress, as if he was scared of something. Shortly after, he corrects himself, trying to delete the previous display of fear from everyone's memories. Nevertheless, he still looks sad.

"Can you stay the night here, Touma?" He begs. "You shouldn't drive after drinking."

"I'm fine, I can drive." Touma laughs. This is not a lie, as he's not really drunk.

"But driving at this hour is dangerous!"

Riku is really stubborn with the suggestion. Why is he being so obstinate? Normally, you would attribute this behavior to his immaturity, but the fact that he receives the rejection with fright and not child-like anger shows that that's not the case. More importantly, he's begging a lot, not letting go of Touma's arm. It's as if his life depended of his friend staying.

Meanwhile, Tenn is not exactly happy with the idea of Touma spending the night with them, and his discomfort shows through his crossed arms.

"You can sleep on my bed, Touma," Riku continues, "and I can spend the night with Tenn-nii."

A chance to sleep with Riku without having to ask for it himself. Tenn immediately changes his mind and now both twins are telling the guest to stay. Convincing the older twin is this easy.

Touma sighs. Perhaps staying wouldn't be a bad idea. It's not like he's fond of driving in the darkness anyway.

* * *

Riku's room possesses a very familiar smell, an odour that somehow Touma relates to family. He feels comfortable as he lies on top of the bed, staring at the yellow walls. This is not his bedroom, yet it feels like home. Perhaps it's because he comes here every day that his body is able to relax in a bed that not his. His body moves in order to reach the huge red pillow at his side, which he hugs. It's so fluffy! Maybe if he closes his eyes, he'd fall asleep in this position. He doesn't realize it instantly, but the scent of his friend is all over the cover, almost as if he was hugging Riku instead.

Riku...

Unpleasant thoughts fill Touma's mind once again. He stills feels the scene of Riku's death too real despite everything suggesting that it was a dream or a simple hallucination. Maybe he was transported to a parallel dimension like one of those sci-fi movies. Or maybe he's a psychic and what he saw was the future. Whatever the explanation, is Riku truly ok? He needs to make sure that what he saw wasn't a bad omen of what's about to come. And since he's completely alone right now, he can search for clues. Yet... doesn't it feel wrong to invade Riku's privacy? What if he discovers a dirty little secret as he pries on his belongings?

He apologies in silence as he opens the bed table. He's looking for sleeping pills or any medicine that can be used for _that_ , yet he only finds papers, books, pens and a calculator. You know, the usual stuff you use to study. He sighs relieved as nothing dangerous can be spotted, but it's still too early to call it a victory! Maybe he's just hiding something somewhere else...

The second drawer he opens is about the same: just a ton of books and papers. This is actually complicated. Even if he doesn't find a suspicious object, there's no guarantee that Riku is not up to something.

Touma accidentally drops a pen as he violates privacy. It falls below the bed, forcing him to crouch on the floor to retrieve it. Ah! He can't see anything! Where did it go? He reluctantly shoves his arm into the obscurity to search, praying that he won't catch a spider or any other bug. It's so dirty down there! He doesn't know if his hand is touching accumulated dust or a spider web. Then, he finally grabs something and quickly retires. It's not a pen, though. In fact, what he sees greatly makes Touma uncomfortable. It's a cutter, that's all. It's not rare for people to have these between their belongings, but Touma's imagination is going to extreme lengths to explain the existence of that tool in the room. What if... what if Riku has been hurting himself? If he's sad then that's a possibility, so maybe he should steal this to ensure his safety...

Of course Riku is not actually hurting himself and Touma is just being paranoid. The cutter is there because sometimes people needs to cut papers, that's all.

A knock on the door interrupts him. He jumps on his spot as if he were a criminal caught in an illegal activity.

"Touma, can I go in?" Riku's voice can be heard coming from the hallway.

He quickly hides everything and opens the door to receive his friend, who is already wearing pajamas.

"I'm going to sleep, so I just came to say good night."

"Oh, it's that so..." Touma tries to act natural, but something is clearly wrong with him. "Good night, Riku!"

It's futile. Trying to fool his friend is a bold move, but there's no way Riku is buying it. The redhead stares, his eyes showing his disbelief. Soon, he closes the door and grabs Touma by the arm, forcing him to sit with him on the bed. He can't escape now.

"Hey, Touma. Are you ok? You've been acting weird for a while."

No, he's not. In fact, he feels like screaming. The more he thinks, the more confusing everything becomes. Perhaps... perhaps asking Riku directly about it would be ideal, yet there's no guarantee he will receive an honest answer. What to do? Maybe he's not looking at things with the right scope, because what really matters right now is not the truth, but the safety of his friend. Therefore, he decides that the best he can do right now is showing his support! He holds him by the shoulders, looking directly into his red eyes. He needs every bit of courage to tell Riku that he's here for him.

"Riku, promise me you're going to tell me whenever you're not feeling fine, ok?"

Riku just nods silently.

"Are you ok right now, Riku?" Touma continues. He's very serious about it. "Is there anything troubling you?"

"I'm fine!" Riku negates as he laughs, but his smile turns sullen after pondering for a while. "Actually... there's something troubling me, but it's so stupid that I don't think it matters!"

"It matters!" He raises his voice, imploring his friend to tell the story.

"Well... when you woke me up from my nap, I was having a pretty awful dream. When you're dreaming, you don't realize you're sleeping, no matter how unrealistic things become. And when dreams became way too ugly, you just wake up. It's like a defensive mechanism, don't you think?" His hands began to tremble as they clutch the pajama pants. "However, when I was in that dream, I refused to believe things were real, and no matter what I did, I couldn't wake up. I was really desperate, you see." Riku expression changes, an innocent smile taking place. "But then I finally woke up and you were there!"

Touma gulps. He too can relate to this story.

"I dreamt that something bad happened to you," Riku continues, scratching his face, "and I got really scared of you leaving thinking that it might become true. Isn't it dumb? Ha ha!"

So that's why he insisted in Touma staying the night. Being scared of something that happened in your dreams is indeed ridiculous, but given the circumstances, Touma has no right to judge him. After all, he's too worried about the scene that he experienced in his mind. Is this just a mere coincidence or is life trying to tell him something?

His grip becomes stronger, and so does his conviction, yet when words are about to come out of his mouth, he shuts up. Being honest is so hard! If he told Riku that he too had that dream and he is worrying tons about it, he'd die of embarrassment! At this point, Riku is family, the person he cares the most in the world, but how is he supposed to convey those feelings into a sentence? If Riku wasn't here... oh, god! What would he do if he disappeared from his side?

After stuttering for a while, Touma finally gets the courage. Nevertheless, it's already too late. Riku inadvertently interrupts him, sealing the words he worked hard to get out.

"Anyway! Promise me that you will be careful when driving," Riku reprimands, standing up from the bed and ready to leave, "I get really worried when you do it after drinking!"

Touma just replies with a nod as he observes him closing the door behind him, not able to hold Riku back. He missed the chance to be honest and express his feelings of genuine friendship. Will he regret it later? Deep in thought, his back falls on the mattress. Ah! He wants to curse so bad! Why can't he simply tell Riku that he's an important person in his life? Is it because guys aren't used to say nice things to other guys? It's surely complicated.

He gets inside the bed and tries to sleep, but now a second idea invades his mind: what if everything changes again when he wakes up tomorrow? What if what he saw was a dream inside of a dream? He shakes his head trying to shove that thought outside his mind, but he can't deny that the possibility terrifies him. He can't even close his eyes now, and he stares at the ceiling, observing the pitch-black environment. All his body has become so tense, impeding him to rest. Does this mean he will have to spend all the night awake?

Laugher can be heard from the other room. The twins are at the other side of the wall, so it's not hard to hear their conversation as they get into bed.

"Riku, did you gain weight?"

"I-It's your fault!" Riku defends himself, flustered. "You're always bringing sweets home!"

So, this is what the twins do when they're alone, huh? It's actually endearing how the always severe and refined Tenn becomes as energetic as his brother when he has the chance to play with him. Their voices say it all: they're are having a tickle fight as if they were mere kids, not minding at all the presence of their guest in the adjacent room. Riku begs Tenn to stop, not really making an effort to force him to cease. It's clear that he enjoys being caressed like that. This is not an everyday opportunity, so they must enjoy it!

Despite being tired, all this noise puts Touma at ease. Not only he thinks that what's going on in the other room is incredibly cute, but listening to Riku's jolly voice makes him realize that he has been too paranoid. There's no way Riku is planning _that_ when he can laugh like this. Moreover, Tenn is always watching over him, so he would definitely spot that something is wrong with his brother.

Touma is relieved because his friend is fine, yet there's another emotion invading him right now, something hard to describe. He's an only child, but since he's so close to Riku he has always considered him the brother he never had. Nonetheless, this relationship was kind of one-sided, because the later already had Tenn. Is Touma jealous of Tenn, then? Probably. He's completely fine being considered just a friend, but there are some perks he'd like to have too! Like, why can't he have a tickle fight with Riku? They used to have them when they were children, but when they grew up it became like an unspoken rule that they weren't allowed anymore. It's among the long list of things you just stop doing when you become an adult.

Suddenly, a shriek proceeded by a slap breaks the jovial atmosphere. It's Riku's troubled voice the one to explain things.

"Tenn-nii, you pervert!"

Just what the heck are they doing?

* * *

Morning arrives. The light barely makes its way across the curtains, landing on Touma's face. Despite the annoyance, he doesn't feel like waking up. Riku, who just entered the room, observes the scene. The sight of his friend deep into placid dreams completely takes his attention. Isn't it cute how he frowns as he fervently hugs a pillow? Interrupting him would be such a waste, but it's what he has to do.

The truth is, a scene like this makes Riku nostalgic. When they were kids, it wasn't unusual for them to take naps together. Observing Touma resting at his side has always brought him a sense of tranquility, as if life was saying that everything is going to be fine. This pleasant emotion is addictive and inviting, and Riku wishes he could sleep at his friend side right now. Damn, if only they were still kids...

Riku shoves his friend's shoulder, a movement that he accompanies with a soft whisper.

"Good morning, Touma."

But the gentle action is not well received.

"Shut up! You're annoying!"

It takes a while for Touma to realize where he is, and even longer to register who was the one to wake him up. His heart breaks in half when he notices he was accidentally mean to Riku seconds ago. Nothing but apologies come out of his mouth, but his friend doesn't seem to care about the incident. The younger twin just laughs, showing that everything was perfectly fine.

"Touma, you have drool on your face!"

Now that's embarrassing. Touma quickly tries to clean it with his t-shirt. Ah! He's glad Riku is here to tell him.

Then it strikes him like lighting: Riku is here. Given what happened last night, he's happier than ever to have him as the first thing he sees in the morning. This thought makes him smile, an involuntary action that he's unaware of.

"Since you slept here, next time let's sleep in your house!" Riku suggests.

"Huh? This was your idea!" Touma complains, but then sighs and stops resisting. Can he really say no to Riku? "Well, when do you want to come?"

It's settled then!

Touma gets out of bed to use the bathroom, but as soon as he holds the doorknob, he stops and turns around to see his friend. Last night, he wasn't able to speak his mind to Riku, but today is different. Somehow, he feels the urge to express his gratitude.

"Thanks for yesterday. I had lots of fun!"

Those are simple words, but the grin that accompanies them is genuine. He wants his friend to feel his affection, even if it's a little bit.

Riku just nods. If he tried to speak, just gibberish would come out of his mouth. Why is his heart about to burst right now? What is this overbearing euphoria? Is this what happens when you bring joy to the person you love?

As he finds himself alone in the room, his body dives into the still warm mattress. Everything smells like Touma now, as if he was in his embrace. It's cozy, and he might fall asleep instantly just by closing his eyes. Just remembering Touma's dazzling smile from some seconds ago is making is stomach flutter like crazy, but there was something that made his heart beat even faster: Touma was still wearing the watch this morning. He didn't even take it off before going to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I'm the slowest writer in the world and writing a mere 4.8K takes me a whole month. It's not lack or motivation or anything, I'm just... very slow. Plus, I have to do A LOT of re-reading because I don't have a proofreader, and I'm too shy to get one. Expect grammar mistakes!
> 
> Anyway, back to the chapter: I have a lot of thoughts regarding this one. I wanted to evoke the impression that Touma is clueless when it comes to committing aliven't, thus his conclusions are not exactly on point. Can you blame him, though? Aliven't is quite the taboo topic.
> 
> Biggest challenge was to write something fluffy and interesting at the same time. If it were for me, I'd write 20 pages of TouRiku just holding hands, but the story won't progress like that. I had to cut the part where Riku lent clothes to Touma because dude is soaking wet, because idk how to fit that into the chapter. Call it a plot hole, but does that mean Touma is partying with his soaked clothes like it's nothing? Dude is going to catch a cold.
> 
> Well, that's all for now I guess. Next on is coming on March 15th.


	3. Lovesick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku's life was always nurtured by love, but this love became a disease.

# Lovesick

The clouds don't let the sun shine, giving the day the melancholic appearance only a grey sky can offer. Rain compliments this sentiment of desolation, but these aren't the only factors that explain the downheartedness of Touma. When he woke up due to the sound of water hitting the window, he found himself once again lying on Riku's bed. The warmth of the red sheets and the fluffy mattress have completely disappeared, discomfort taking place. The air that used to smell like his friend has changed too, the awful stench of sweat invading his nostrils. Even the sheets stink, as if they haven't been changed in a while. Despite this, he finds himself unable to get out of bed, and his eyes stare at the mess that is the room. He should tidy up a little, but he doesn't feel like it. It's not mere laziness that stops his body from taking action, but a strong emotion attached to his chest. Does it really matter if he gets up? He has nothing to do anyway, therefore staying like this is no problem. Perhaps going to sleep again would be the best.

His body feels heavy and cold, almost as if it were covered in bruises. He doesn't understand, as far as he remembers he's in perfect condition. This happens because his mind is mourning, and this sorrow translates to his flesh. The heartache, the strongest he's ever felt in his entire life, has no visible explanation. No matter how much he barges in his memories, no reason for grief comes to light. Yet he's here, trying to diminish the urge to cry.

If it were for him, he'd continue the day languishing in bed, but Touma has to wake up because his bladder is about to explode. It was a hard choice, actually. For a second, he wondered if it really would be that bad if he peed on the bed. Without further ado, Touma gets out of the solace of the sheets. As soon as he enters the bathroom, the mirror on the wall welcomes him, yet what is portrayed on his reflection doesn't seem to tag along. Finally, the so awaited explanation for this state of absolute glum is in front of him. His thunderstruck fingers roam the shocked expression of his face, trying to get a hold of reality. What the mirror shows is the image of Riku, moving on concordance to his motions. The redhead that always smiled so brightly looks like a completely different person; the glee of his existence totally gone. The bags under his eyes communicate the lack of proper sleep, and the length of the hair exposes complete disregard for his semblance. Everything else looks like the Riku from that dreadful vision: the weight-loss, the rags he's wearing, the visible neglect of his persona; it's all there. The contrast to the usual image of his so loved friend is painful to see.

Touma understands it now: this is a dream, and these feelings belong to Riku. This scenario was created so he can experience firsthand a reality he didn't know about. Does this mean anything, though? It's just a fabrication of the unconscious, and the misery reflected on Riku's eyes is not necessarily the truth. Everything is a ruse, something he made up after he saw that nightmare on the day of his birthday party. But what if this portrayal of his friend turns out to be accurate? What if the despair he's feeling right now is exactly what Riku faces on his daily routine? What if this is nothing but a cry for help?

Covered in tears, he finally wakes up and finds himself in the whiteness of his apartment. Nevertheless, the desolation lived seconds ago carried over, and he needs a moment to recover from the anguish. Sitting on the bed, he tries to wipe his face. Usually, he would fight the urge to go back to sleep after waking up, but the possibility of dreaming the same scenario greatly scares him. This is the second time he'd seen something awful regarding Riku, why is his mind playing him tricks?

The phone begins to buzz as soon as he grabs it in a desperate attempt to check on Riku. The timing seems to be perfect, because the incoming message is from the subject. Touma gulps and opens it, expecting the worst, but all his worries dissipate when the photo of an omurice expands on the screen. The text "Tenn-nii made this for breakfast!" is attached to the message, some cute stickers coming after. Sighing in relief, Touma replies. This child-like amusement for something as mundane as tasty food is so characteristic of Riku. If that guy can keep smiling for stuff like that, then there's no way something is wrong with him, right?

Riku is fine. Touma wants to believe so, despite the world telling him otherwise.

* * *

The truth is, nothing feels the same after witnessing Riku's death. Something definitely changed that day, and it's not only a matter of Touma's imagination playing tricks. He can feel the change in the atmosphere as he goes to work, driving in the deserted highway that should be crowded at this hour. When he stops at the red light, he takes a moment to check the time on his new watch. Yeah, there's no mistake: people should be rushing to their jobs right now, yet the street only has him and a couple of cars. Perhaps today is a holiday and he didn't know about. It would be embarrassing if he arrived at the workplace just for it to be closed!

To Touma's dismay, his fears become justified. The workshop that it's usually open is now closed, no workers aside from him present in the area. This time he doesn't check his watch, but his phone. Nevertheless, more questions arise when the calendar tells him that today is not a special date whatsoever. Why is the city so deserted at this peak hour, then? Is he missing something else? A quick search on the internet throws no results, and checking his mail... there's nothing in his mail. His face turns blue in front of the page that days ago stored all his important messages, some of them with critical information regarding his job. He swears one, twice. Even the recovery folder is missing what he seeks, dismissing any chance to get back the data. Was this feat product of a hacker? Why would he be the target when he's a mere employee?

On a second thought, all his electronics have been behaving strangely lately. For example, his phone reverted to the old background image that he had months ago, and some of his contacts were missing. Rabbitchat logs were also affected, some of them being completely wiped, while others had pieces of conversation that he doesn't recall having. At first, he blamed the SD card, but now he wonders whether there's someone spying on him, trying to get a hold of his personal information. That would be really bad! Maybe he should buy another phone, just in case.

He checks the time on his watch again. Maybe he should call Torao and ask why are they closing today, but as soon as he concentrates on the task, a hand lands on his shoulder.

"Why are you wearing a girl's watch?"

He didn't see Torao approaching, ready to have fun at his expenses. Flustered by the question, Touma quickly hides his hand in his pocket, protecting the valuable object from any judgement.

"I-It's a present from a friend!" His eyes take a while to establish direct contact with Torao. When the gaze lands on the subject, astonishment is drawn on his face.

"Oh? I bet it's from that Riku guy you always talk about." Torao grins, but the smile quickly fades when he realizes he's not getting the desired reaction.

Usually, Touma would get angry at the suggestion, but this time he's too fixated on his friend. The always carefree lady-killer looks like a completely different person, almost unrecognizable. Well, the physique is almost the same as he remembers, but this is about the overall, style and the choice of clothes. Firstly, the messy long hair was carefully combed. Secondly, he's wearing a black suit, a spectacle he's never seen before. Everything about him seems too formal, even the shirt is correctly adjusted despite Torao always choosing to loosen them a bit for the sake of sex appeal. Is this guy going to a job interview or something? Maybe a funeral? Nonetheless, when Touma asks about it, his question is quickly shoved off as something without importance, as if things were completely in place.

"No, this is definitely not like you." Touma says, the uneasiness showing on his face. Is this one of Torao's pranks or...

"Ha ha, I don't know what are you talking about." Torao pats his back with undesired strength, forcing his friend to almost jump. There's nothing but honesty in his grin. "More importantly, what are you doing here?"

"I work here!" Now Touma is really confused. "See? You're acting weird!"

"You should be doing something more important than working. Maybe I should give you vacations so you can concentrate on that."

"What are you talking about? I had vacations one month ago!" Touma's expression changes. Maybe this is all a bluff and these vacations are a nice way to say that he's getting fired. Panic possesses him, what is he going to do if that happens? "Wait, don't tell me your dad is going to kick me!"

Torao expression changes, confusion being portrayed. Now he's the one looking at Touma as if he was acting weird. Could it be that his friend is oblivious of the current situation? Midou's grin disappears and, placing his hands on Inumaru's shoulders, he gets all serious. It catches the receiving end by surprise, who never got to see this side of this person.

"Look, Touma. Life is short. Take a break and spend those days with the person you love, will you?"

"Why are you making it sound like the world is going to end?" Touma complains, starting to get pissed. He doesn't understand anything.

Torao sighs. Explaining what's going on would be easy, but perhaps letting everything flow naturally is a better course of action. He's sure that Touma will fulfill his mission even if no one tells him what he ought to do.

In the end, and after arguing for a couple minutes, Touma accepts the vacations. He's not happy about it, but overall that's his mood regarding everything else. As time passes, he confirms more and more that there's something off about his surroundings and even himself. He's sharp enough to notice that Torao is hiding information from him, but for what purpose? That person is his friend, so there's no way he means harm! Although it's very hard to keep calm when the words that you're told are "life is short". Is he going to die? Nah, this has to be one of Torao's pranks. The world is not about to end either, but Touma ponders what would he do if that were the case. He doesn't have a girlfriend to spend his days with, and he has broken contact with his family since he finished high school. He doesn't have pending stuff either, nor dreams to achieve. Touma is satisfied with his current lifestyle, but if it comes down to it, he at least wants to say goodbye to the twins. After all, they were the first people to have faith on him.

* * *

The dull gray sky makes for a chilly summer day. In a season like this, where high temperatures are commonplace, a weather like this is a blessing. As always, Riku waits for Touma in the borders of the campus, under the shadow of the trees, protecting himself from the dim sunlight. Iori accompanies him, holding his belongings.

Touma arrives earlier than usual. As he parks, he figures something is wrong: Riku, who would always run to his encounter, remains sit with a grim expression on his face. Iori seems to be scolding him, seemingly worried. Those two are completely ignoring his presence! He has to approach for them to greet him.

"T-Touma! I'm sorry, I didn't see you," Riku apologies, his voice clearly strained, "shall we go?"

"Inumaru-san, please make sure that Nanase-san rests properly once you get home. He won't listen to me."

"I've already told you, I'm fine!"

No, it's completely obvious that he's not. Not only his characteristic energy is nowhere to be seen, but he's also having problems to sustain his tone as he speaks, his face has acquired a reddish color and his crimson eyes are watery. Iori's concern is not out of place, but Riku absolutely hates being treated like a child and can't help but argue back!

Touma places his hand on Riku's forehead to check the temperature. Damn, he's burning!

"No, you're definitely not!" Touma exclaims, extremely worried.

"My stomach just hurt a little bit," Riku pouts, admitting defeat, "that's all."

There's another reason besides being treated like a child that prevents Nanase from telling the truth. The only thing he ate today was the omurice that Tenn prepared. No matter what, he refuses to believe that something cooked by his brother is the source of his ailment. He planned to stay silent for the rest of the day, hoping that the pain would decrease on his own. Nevertheless, as the stomachache reached considerable levels, it became harder to pretend that everything was fine.

Touma wonders if it's ok for Riku to ride with him. Although Nanase gives an affirmative answer with a gesture, he remains unsure. The arms that always surround his waist on the motorbike seem a bit shaky, lacking the strength they usually have. He ponders what would be the best route to follow in this situation. He can either drive faster than usual to get home early and send Riku to rest, or he can drive slower to prevent a tired Riku from falling. He has never been this scared of his friend letting go of him in the middle of the highway!

The engine starts and they say goodbye to Iori. In the end, Touma decides to drive as always, forcing Riku to promise him that he will absolutely ask for a break if he starts feeling worse.

As Touma rides the motorbike, he realizes that taking vacations was a good idea. If Riku is truly sick, he will be able to nurse him back to health without being restricted by work. Of course, this will come with the inconvenient of facing Tenn, who will probably tell him to mind his own business and leave his brother to him. The older twin is very possessive when it comes to that guy, and won't accept help from anyone if he can take care of Riku himself, even if that means sacrificing all his free time. It's not as if that hasn't happened before. One time, Touma promised him that he wasn't going to steal the younger brother, so there was no need to be jealous. Of course, the implications just made things worse, and he had to leave to not get hurt.

"Hey, Touma," Riku raises his voice as much as he can, "are you going to tell Tenn-nii that I'm sick?"

He really doesn't want his brother to know and blame himself for that omurice. Touma realizes that he can use this to his advantage.

"I won't, but only if you promise me that you're going to rest!"

Riku seems to be fine with this agreement. It's not like this is severe, so there's no need for his brother to know. Just taking a nap will be enough to restore his health! Or so he thinks...

The arms surrounding Touma's waist strengthen their grip, an action that the rider notices. He can feel the trembling body struggling to hold his weight against his back, and that's not a good signal. He asks Riku how is he doing, but there's no answer. Ah! This is bad! Since he's driving, checking with his eyes what's going on is a huge no. Luckily, the next red light is close.

"Touma... I think I'm about to faint." Riku's voice is barely audible, the sound of the vehicles around drowning it.

How are you supposed to keep calm when you're in the middle of the road and your passenger tells you they're about to fall? The thought of his friend having an accident due to this stresses Touma so much he might be the one passing out in the end!

Fortunately, there's a park nearby. The place that should be replete of kids hogging all the games is completely empty, so Touma just runs straight into it, destroying a bunch of pretty flowers. There's no time to worry about a suitable site for parking, he stops the vehicle beside the yellow slide and helps Riku to get off the motorcycle.

Nanase looks really bad. One of his hands presses his stomach while the other finds support on Touma. There's nothing but pain on his face, tears forming in the corner of his eyes as his teeth grit to ease the agony. It's clear that he's going through a lot of suffering, and just by looking at this miserable state one can get a taste of how much it hurts. He relaxes a little bit when he gets to sit on the bench, his head looking at the sky as he deeply inhales. His breathing is all ragged, disturbed by the discomfort. As the air enters his lungs, nausea starts to invade his senses. He hears Inumaru's voice, but his vision can't focus on his friend, the image projected becoming more and more blurry. Honestly? He's scared. He's really scared. Bit by bit he can feel how his consciousness is fading.

"Hang in there, Riku!" Touma begs, trying to keep calm to no avail, "I'm calling the ambulance, everything is going to be fine!"

Inumaru has never seen his friend in such a pitiful state. Taking his temperature again, he realizes the fever has risen. It's deplorable, and once again he can't do anything but watch. It just like when he saw that awful vision of Riku dying, the impotence driving him mad. Why is this happening to his friend? What is he supposed to do in these situations? Please someone help him already!

Then, Riku holds his hand, tightly. Touma then understands that his job right now is not to actually cure Riku's ailment, but to bring him company. If he calms down a little, he can give Nanase the sense of security necessary to make this experience less awful. Both of them are scared, but if just one of them keeps the composure, the other won't be as frightened.

The nausea is too strong. Riku tries to cover his mouth, but the urge to puke overwhelms him. Vomit scatters all over the sand, tainting the air with its foul smell. It's disgusting and he feels shame, tears starting to flow. At the same time, he holds Touma even tighter, which is the only thing preventing him from truly panicking. His friend accepts the gesture and answers back doing the same.

"Are you ok, Riku?" Touma asks, not letting go of him.

But Riku can't speak. He vomits again, profusely. It is as if his entire insides were to spill on the ground. No matter how much he tries to contain it, he doesn't stop until there's nothing in him but saliva. His completely empty stomach still aches, but there's nothing to expunge anymore. Can he finally rest? The urge to puke slowly disappears until he can finally support his back on the bench. Is he finally going to pass out? Seems so. All his vision has turned white and his senses begin to shut down.

Touma keeps calling for his friend, afraid that he might pass out. If that were to happen, Inumaru would definitely lose his head. It's scary, what if Nanase closes his eyes to never open them again? The faint movement of his fingers communicate that he's still conscious, but how much will he resist?

He takes a peek at the pool of vomit. It's something he's been actively avoiding since the sight of half-digested food can easily trigger his urge to throw up. Right now, just the smell is causing contractions on his throat, but he manages to keep control. This peeking is nothing but a mere accident, a result of his eyes wandering the surroundings. And honestly, he wishes this accident didn't happen, because what he sees freezes his heart. The puke that should be the result of a bad omurice doesn't have leftovers of food at all. It just pills. A ton of them.

* * *

A beeping sound breaks the silence every minute. It's all white and sterile, solitary as if the building had no other person inside. The long hallway repeats the pattern of empty rooms, all looking the same. The air has the aroma of soap and medicine, the classic hospital scent. There's not a single object that serves as distraction, and the only thing left for Touma is to think. Sitting on the floor outside the only occupied room, his hands hold his head. He's waiting for an answer, and the uncanny silence only aggravates his preoccupation. No matter how much he concentrates, he can't hear the voice of the Doctor, nor Riku's voice. Several times he thought of smashing the door and see with his own eyes the current state of his friend, but common sense told him that that would just make everything worse.

It's maddening, isn't it? Having the same vision again, pills scattered everywhere. Since the ambulance arrived shortly after, he couldn't take a closer look to verify that he wasn't imagining it. He can go back later to check, but his whole body trembles with the sole idea of confirming that those were indeed pills. Riku, why would you choose to do such an awful thing to yourself?

The door opens. Touma reacts immediately and throws himself to the feet of the doctor, begging for answers.

"Doctor, how is Riku doing?" It's clear that he's desperate. And honestly, he looks pathetic.

"My, you certainly lack manners." The handsome blonde man responds as he plays with his hair. His coat reads 'Natsume Minami' and Touma is sure that he has seen that face before. "Nanase-san's condition is stable and he has regained consciousness. He'll be able to leave in one hour or two."

"I'm glad..." Inumaru sighs, finally standing up. He feels like a huge weight left his chest. "But why did he end up like this?"

"Don't tell me you don't know." Minami's eyes open wide with genuine surprise.

"He ingested something bad, didn't he?"

"No." He ponders. Should he tell the truth or should he let things flow naturally? There's only one explanation for Touma not knowing the answer on his own, and not keeping the secret in front of this opportunity seems like a waste. "Nanase-san has been sick for a long time. This is nothing but a side effect."

"And what is that disease?"

Minami smiles.

"Love."

Riku's life was always nurtured by love. The bonds that brought him so much happiness grew and grew until he became addicted to them. When he realized that his love would never be reciprocated, the happiness developed into sorrow, and the heartache became the only thing left in his daily life. As a result, both his body and his mind began deteriorating. One day, he decided that it was too much for him to bear and he simply forgot, yet forgetting is not the same as moving on. Nanase doesn't even remember that he was suffering, nor he recalls the cause of his grief. Yet, there's a price to pay for this blissful ignorance, and that's the strain on his body.

That sounds like a ton of bullshit and Touma is not buying it.

"I don't get it." He shakes his head. "Why are you talking in riddles?"

"It would be pretty irresponsible of me to disclose private information of my patients, wouldn't it?"

That's Riku's will. Touma shouldn't know the truth.

"You love your friend, don't you?" Minami inquires.

"He..." Touma is flustered. Why is he asking? The answer is pretty obvious. "He's like my family."

"Then, save him. Teach Nanase-san how to move on from love."

"But how?"

"With love." Minami giggles.

The only way to fight the love disease is with more love.

This is ridiculous. The mere concept of this illness sounds terribly stupid. This looks like a bad prank and Touma is seriously losing his temper. He can't bring himself to get angry at the doctor that just saved Riku, though.

Inumaru hastily enters the room. After a long waiting, he finally gets to see Riku, who's laying on a white bed as he wears a blue nightgown. He has completely recovered the color, and the warm smile that always decorated his face is once again there. On his left hand, there's a catheter inserting some kind of serum into his veins, which looks quite painful.

"How are you feeling, Riku?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore!" His voice is still quite weak, but it's apparent that's he's doing way better than before. "Where is Tenn-nii? I think I heard him as I slept."

Touma is so glad. Once again, he sights, relieved. His hand roam Riku forehead to check the temperature: nothing, it's not burning anymore.

"Hey, Riku. Are you sure it was the omurice?" The troubled voice asks. "Perhaps... perhaps you took some medicine and your stomach reacted the wrong way."

"I didn't take any medicine, though."

It's the truth. Riku is really bad at lying, so Touma would notice if that statement were false. Maybe he's worrying too much and it was the omurice after all. And now that he can think it twice, isn't the idea of Riku ingesting all those pills nonsensical? If he planned to collapse, why would he go to University afterwards?

Touma's hand is still on Riku's head, gently caressing it. His fingers and the red hair intertwine as his friend's cheeks start acquiring color. It's an unconscious action born from the desire of expressing his love in a physical manner, and it feels really good. Only the receiving end is aware of what's going on, but he doesn't say anything. Riku always wanted this from Inumaru, but asking directly for it would be too embarrassing. He remains silent and enjoys every bit of it.

Hurried steps can be heard and the door forcefully opens. The angelic-looking twin enters the room, pushing Touma aside. It's pretty clear that he was in the middle of preparing the lunch when he got the call from the hospital, because he's still wearing the cute pink apron he normally uses when cooking. Touma better not interrupt the brothers as they talk, otherwise the angel might turn into a demon.

* * *

They get home around 6 PM. Tenn immediately tells Riku to go to bed, an order that the younger brother obeys immediately. Meanwhile, Touma sits on the table, waiting for lunch. His original idea was to eat instant noodles in the solitude of his apartment and think carefully about the day, but surprisingly enough the elder twin decided to invite him to eat. All of them have their stomachs empty, and this is a gesture of gratitude for helping Riku when he needed it the most. Inumaru accepted with pleasure, food tastes better when it's eaten with someone else!

It doesn't take long for food to be served. When Touma called Tenn from the hospital, the lunch was being prepared, so it only takes a round into the microwave to have everything ready. Once the bell rings, the older brother takes the warm dish out and serves it to his guest. It's omurice. The Nanases won't get tired of this, will they? It's exactly the same they had yesterday for lunch, and today for breakfast! Not only that, but Touma totally forgot about the unhealthy tendency of the twins to add insane amounts of sugar to everything, which quickly makes him question his life choices.

Today is only Inumaru and Tenn in the dining room. The younger brother is eating in his bed, still resting from his illness. Normally, this would be very uncomfortable. The relationship between these two has always been pretty rough. As stated before, the white-haired boy simply doesn't want to share Riku's affection, which leads into being quite cold towards Touma despite knowing each other for years. That doesn't mean that the older twin doesn't have any kind of consideration for him, though. He's way more savage to anyone else trying to approach his brother. This is just the way he is: he doesn't show love by being kind, but by being less hostile. The Nanases are like night and day in this regard, because Riku befriends pretty much anyone.

"What did the doctor say about Riku?" Tenn asks, bringing the spoon to his mouth.

Inumaru proceeds to tell him about the love-thingy, expecting a reaction similar to his. There's no way Tenn would dig that.

"Isn't it ridiculous?" Touma adds with indignation. "Who is that doctor trying to fool?"

"I see..."

Tenn looks unfazed as he keeps eating, which leaves Inumaru dumbfounded. Don't tell me he also believes the love-thingy!

"T-Tenn! This is serious!" Touma raises his voice, trying to be quiet enough to not being heard in Riku's room. He's very concerned. "I think Riku... Riku..."

He has severe trouble trying to finish that sentence. It's only normal: he's about to say something awful. Just remembering the lifeless body of Riku sends shivers down his spine. If the redhead is trying to achieve that, his brother has to know it. Nevertheless, the sole implication is met with laughter.

"Are you stupid?" Tenn giggles. "Why would he do that? He has everything he wants here."

That was an unexpected reaction. Of all people, he thought that Tenn was the one that would understand him the most. Under normal circumstances, the elder brother would certainly get hysterical in front of the possibility of Riku dying, yet he's discarded the likelihood of that happening as if that was nothing. It's rage inducing, and very frustrating. Should he keep insisting?

"Inumaru Touma... You're stubborn, aren't you?" The persistence of the matter is met with hostility. Tenn's gaze is frightening. Perhaps when people mention that he's an angel, they mean an angel of death. "There's absolutely no way my brother would do that. Don't you dare mention it again."

Should he trust that statement? If something is wrong with Riku, Tenn would be the first one to notice. If the elder twin says that everything is fine, it's very likely that he's right. Even so, Touma is not convinced. He has experienced so much shit lately that he doesn't know what to expect. Maybe he should stop being roundabout and directly ask the subject: Nanase Riku himself.

He finds Riku watching tv as he lies in his bed. The lights are off, but the screen shines enough to have the visibility covered. On the bed table, the empty dish of omurice lies. At least he's healthy enough to eat, so that's one thing less to worry about.

"Touma, let's watch the Samurai!" The energetic Riku pats the bed, telling him to sit at his side.

The broadcast of the next episode is going to start in five minutes. Touma accepts the invitation and he takes space on the fluffy mattress. There's a lot of things he wants to ask, so he better hurry up and start talking before the show begins. However, how can he approach the topic? Ah! He's so nervous! If he doesn't think carefully, he might end up saying something inappropriate.

Riku couldn't feel any more different. When he senses the body of his friend next to him, he instinctively rests his head on the warm shoulder. His heart is at ease, and his eyes close to get a better taste of that pleasant emotion. Just by having Touma as his side he can relax, because he's sure he can trust him for everything.

In the end, Nanase is the one to speak.

"Thank you a lot for today, Touma. To be honest, I was really scared."

"I was scared too, you know? I thought you were going to die!"

"He he, no way I'm dying!" He giggles, his innocent smile leaving his friend awestruck. "There's still a lot I want to do with both you and Tenn-nii!"

Do those words answer anything? Riku's will to live is strong. He's a person full of dreams with a bright future, and his optimism has no equal. In fact, just by talking to him you can get to appreciate life more. By remembering the intense grip of his hand seeking help, Touma realizes that his friend felt genuine fear back then. Nanase doesn't want to die. No person that gave up on living would cry in front of the possibility of perishing. Then, why do those awful visions tell a different truth?

The new episode of _Samurai on Road_ begins. As the hero cuts down his enemies with the katana, Inumaru ponders. Perhaps the world is trying to warn him from the future, and he's the protagonist with the mission of impeding what's about to come. That would be silly, but so is everything that's happening lately. Stuff is out of place here and there, and everyone he talks to seems to be hiding something from him. Tenn's not worrying about the lame explanation for his brother's illness? Shady. The doctor giving a fantasy-like diagnose? Very Shady. Torao change of style? Extremely shady. The one that seems unchanged is Riku. And honestly? He's glad.

By the way, didn't this episode air already? He wants to comment it to Riku, but the redhead has fallen deep asleep on his arm. It's the result of a very exhausting day. Damn! Touma missed another chance to talk about what's going on, and he can't bring himself to wake him up. Just look at him! The way he doesn't let go of the arm as he faintly breathes makes for a peaceful sight. Inumaru thinks this fragile state is incredibly adorable, and he doesn't mind letting his limb go numb in exchange. Actually, sleeping or not, seeing Riku always provokes these kinds of feelings in Touma, but there's no way the later would openly admit it!

He remembers Tora's words. He was told to spend his days with the person he loved, but he doesn't have a crush on anyone. Initially, he thought that Midou meant a cute girl, but after thinking it carefully, it's possible that he was addressing someone else. After all, love comes in many shapes. And there's a person he loves, just not romantically; someone he wants to spend his days with. Did Tora know that Riku needed him, then? Plausible. The entire universe is telling him to put an eye on Nanase, so this might not be a coincidence.

Touma loves Riku, and Riku loves him back. The former never stated it with words, yet actions were enough to convey his sincere friendship. Nevertheless, he wished he could be more honest and tell Riku how much he appreciates him! And maybe... Maybe he'd like to express his affection with physical contact! Like... Giving head pats back then in the hospital felt so good! A hug once in a while would be nice too. And right now, he's so cozy just by having him resting on his arm!

"Good night, Riku." He whispers. "Have sweet dreams."

He leans forward an kisses Riku in the forehead. It's tender and full of his affection, a product of his body taking action before his mind. When he realizes what he did, he becomes really red. There's no way he'd do that consciously! He's glad his friend is asleep, otherwise it would be very embarrassing. Does he regret it, though? After a frank introspection, the answer is no.

When Touma exists the room, the first thing he meets is Tenn's judgmental gaze. Both his voice and his crossing arms are severe, sending shivers down his spine.

"Inumaru Touma, why is your face so red?"

There's a lot of explanation to do, but right now he can't even articulate words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, Touma is very gay. He just haven't realized that yet.
> 
> Secondly, I finished in time. And damn, that was hard. There's a lot going on in this chapter and I had to make sure that I conveyed every idea properly. I didn't expect it to be 6k words, oh boy.
> 
> Next chapter will be posted on April 15th and will feature Touma trying to cope with the fact that he might like Riku (just like canon Touma, lol).

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a hopeless romantic and I want an excuse to write fluffy interactions between Touma and Riku. This fic will be short, I don't see it lasting beyond 10 chapters.  
> I apologize for any grammar mistake you might encounter. I don't have a beta reader :(


End file.
